Photographs: Past & Present
by sophk
Summary: A journalist that Hotch met while serving with the investigative task force in Pakistan in 2011 is missing. Can he find her in time to save her? And why hasn't he seen her in almost three years? Reviews always appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

**Photographs Past & Present**

**A photograph is usually looked at — seldom looked into. **

**~Ansel Adams**

**Chapter 1: Missing**

It was a quiet Monday morning at the BAU office. As usual Hotch was already in his office ahead of everyone else. He was going over the reports on the last case. His phone rings, "Agent Hotchner." He answers.

"Hotch, this is Captain William Davis, remember me." The voice said.

"Willie, nice to hear from you. How are you?"

"Fine. It's not me I'm worry about. Claire is missing." Willie said in a panic.

"What do you mean she's missing? Start from the beginning." Hotch asks.

Willie explained. "I work for her, and when I came in this morning she wasn't here. I thought she was out for run, but then I saw her keys, wallet and phone on her desk. She wouldn't go anywhere without those. I notice two of her cameras were missing. I called the police but they can't do anything for 24 hours. Hotch, Claire put a picture of you on my desk. She was telling me to call you. You have to find her."

"Has she had trouble with anyone?" Hotch questions.

"About three months ago Claire started getting letters telling her she was wrong about the serial killer Clyde Smith. Saying that she didn't know him; that the articles she wrote were wrong. After the third or fourth one she went to the police; they told her not to worry about it just some fan of his. Do you think he took her? Willie said.

"I'm on my way. I will meet you at her place. Don't touch anything. Willie we will find her." Hotch tells him.

He hung up the phone. And the first time he met Claire came into his mind. It was Pakistan in 2011, he was there serving with an Intelligence Task Force and she was a journalist, embedded with an Army unit. They had an immediate attraction. He had to find her.

Hotch ran over to Section Chief Cruz's office. "Can I talk to you?" He said as he rushed in the door. He filled him in on that was going on and that he needed the team to help find Claire.

"You don't think she could have just went out of town on assignment?" He asks.

"She would have told Willie, her assistant. By the way, her father is General Thomas Ross, so we need to find out what happened." Hotch said.

Cruz told him, "Take the team and do what you need to. I will call the NYPD, clear it with them." Hotch appreciated his understanding of the situation.

He gathered the team at the round table and told them they would be leaving in ASAP for New York. And he would fill them in on the jet. In the meantime, he asks Garcia to check on what Claire had been working on for the last three years and any security video that may help.

On the short flight, Hotch went over the call from Willie this morning. Garcia had received the security tapes from her building. She had found something she sent them the video. It showed Claire leaving around 6:30 A.M on Saturday morning for a run. About ninety minutes later, Claire returns, she lets in a deliveryman who was carrying a package. He followed her upstairs and into the loft. About ten minutes later they leave the loft. The deliveryman was holding a gun at her back. He was carrying a backpack. Why? He wondered. But, now everyone was more concerned she had been missing for over forty-eight hours.

Just after noon they arrived at the Claire's loft. Willie and Nina, Claire's personal assistant, were waiting outside the door. They walk in. Strangely, nothing is out of place. Willie states, "We didn't move anything."

"She lives here, too?" Hotch asks

"Yeah, when she is in town. I came in this morning, the door was locked and she wasn't anywhere to be found. Her purse, key and phone are on the desk. We got to find her?" Willie pleads.

Hotch said. "We will. Do you have the letters? We need to go over them." Willie hand him a folder and Hotch hands them to Reid.

As he is taking a look around, he walked over and stood by her worktable. She had laid out pictures from Pakistan of people in camp. He looks down and sees one of the two of them; they had their arms around each other. He remembers the day Willie took that photo. He picks it up and puts it in his jacket pocket. "You said two of her cameras were missing, anything else? Anything special about those cameras?" Hotch asks.

"One is an older one, she uses it for big projects. She said it is reliable. The other one is fairly new, she been taking a lot of black and whites. And one of the backpacks she uses is gone." He said. "Do you think the guy writing to her would hurt her?"

"In the letters, he sounds angered about her articles about Smith. But until I have proof to think otherwise, I believe she is alive." Reid tells Willie. But knowing that with each hour that statistically is less likely. They haven't shared with Willie and Nina that Claire had been missing since Saturday morning. Statistically, that also will lessen the chance of her still being alive.

"Call Garcia, get her to go through Claire's laptop. Maybe we will discover something that could be responsible for this." Hotch orders.

Detective Mark Wallace, and his team from the NYPD arrived. Hotch introduces the team. Hotch explains to the Detective, that Claire Ross had be kidnapped on Saturday morning around 8:00. The Detective tells her they can set up in the conference room at the station. The Detective proceeds to take statements from Nina, and Willie, since they were the first on the scene.

"So, Willie how you end up her assistant." Morgan asks

"While she was with us in Pakistan. I was fascinated with her cameras so she taught me. When I got discharged I applied to Columbia University. We had stayed in touch she hired me as her assistant. I'm studying journalism because of her. Claire is getting ready for an exhibition of her photographs at the American Military Museum at the end of May. That is all she has been concentrating on for the last two months." Willie said shaking his head. "That's why she has all of the Pakistan pictures spread out on her table."

"Has she been seeing anyone?" Hotch asks.

"She was dating a lawyer for a while, but they broke up over six months ago." Willie answered. "It has to have something to do with the serial killer from fifteen years ago.

We got to find her." Willie pleaded.

"We will need the lawyer name." Hotch said. Nina wrote down the information. Hotch handed it to JJ. "JJ, go talk to him."

Hotch continued to walk around the loft and look at all the photos. He thought back to the time he had spent with her in Pakistan. Claire had already been at the base camp for three months when he arrived. The Unit she was assigned to help establish and rebuild schools. They would leave and be going for a couple of weeks in the remote areas of the country. The soldiers in that unit treated her as a sister and took very good care of her. They were always very protective of her, but she also, earned their respect. As he got to know her he understood why.

As they were processing the loft, Rossi suggested, "Hotch, what do you know about the article Claire wrote on Smith? We need to get started on a profile."

Hotch shook his head. "Claire is an amazing person, strong, and passionate about her work and her life. The article referred to is actually six articles. She was just out of college, the New York Times had hired her; one of her first assignments was to cover the trial of Calvin Smith. He was sentence to life for killing six women in Central Park. She didn't want to write about him, so she wrote the article about the women he had killed. Claire focused on their lives and families. She didn't think he deserved the attention. The editor agreed and ran it as six articles. She won a Pulitzer for it. Smith was killed in his cell a few months after the articles were published. In reading the letters, I would say this guy is a fan or a family member of Smith's."

"Impressive. Is Claire the type who would resist or try to escape?" Rossi asks.

"Definitely, she is extremely intelligent and I think she will do everything she has to in order to survive. As she was being taken out on Saturday morning she put a picture of me on Willie's desk. So, she is always thinking." Hotch said proudly. "She went through intensive military training courses before being embedded with the unit in Pakistan. So she has some defensive training."

"That's where you two met? Pakistan?" Morgan concluded.

"Yeah, it was when I was there working with a Intelligence Task Force in 2011. She was embedded with an Army Unit. We worked out of the same base camp. Willie was one of the soldiers in the unit." Hotch took a deep breath and wonder how he ever walked away from her.

"Willie, is there anything you can add?" Rossi questioned.

"I have seen her under high stress situations she keeps her cool and her mind. There were a few dangerous times in Pakistan but she never broke down. She's strong. If she can find a way out she will." Willie smiled thinking about the times in Pakistan. Their unit always worked as a family. She had helped him and the rest of the guys since they had returned. No matter where she was they could always get in touch with her. "Should I call her Mom and let her know what's going on?"

"Why don't you let us do it, we will need her information." Rossi offered.

"Rossi and I will go to go talk with Claire's Mom. Everyone else can go over the Police station to set up there." Hotch said.

"What can we do?" Willie asks.

"Just stay here, keeping checking to see if anything else is missing. I will call you as soon as we know anything." Hotch reassured him.

On the way to see Claire's Mom, Rossi questions Hotch about his relationship with Claire. "You cared about her, what happened?" He asks more as a friend than an agent.

"I still care about her. We had a relationship when we were in Pakistan." He pauses thinking about her. "I don't know that happen. Well, I do; I panic. It had only been a year since Haley had been killed and then the thing with Prentiss happened. So, when I got the call about Doyle and left, she was out on assignment. We tried to keep in touch, talked a few times. But, I decided a long distance relationship with her wasn't an option. She still had a few months in Pakistan and then she already had another assignment. So, the last time I talked to her, she told me to call her sometime. I never did. I'm stupid."

Rossi reminds him "It's not too late and if you gets a second chance don't screw it up this time." Hotch was just hoping that he would get that chance.

They pull up at the law offices of Keller and Hillman. At the reception desk, they flash their badges and introduce themselves; then asks to talk with Marian Hillman. She appears from her office "May I help you." She asks wondering what they needed to talk about.

"Ms. Hillman, may we go into your office, please?" Rossi asks. They walk into her office. "We are Agent Rossi and Hotchner. We are here about your daughter, Claire Ross."

"What about her? Has something happen to her?" she was panicking.

Hotch answers, "Yes, we think she was kidnapped on Saturday morning. But, we are going to do everything we can to find her. When was the last time you talked with her?"

Marian eyes were starting to weld up with tears "Saturday morning about 7:15, she was in the middle of her run and I was on my way to Boston. Who would have done this? Why?"

"Did you know she had been receiving letters from someone about an article she wrote fifteen years ago?" Rossi questions.

"Yes, she shared some of them. I went to the police with her to report it. My god, do you think he was the one who took her?" She was just beginning to understand what was going on.

"We believe so. But, we are working with the NYPD to bring her back safely." Hotch assured her.

"Has anyone notify her father?" She asks.

"No, ma'am." Hotch replies.

"I will do it. He will take it better coming from me. Leave your information I'm sure he will want to speak with you personally. I can't understand why this would happen? Please find her." Marian dropped her head. "Would one of you call me and keep me updated on what's going on?"

"Yes, we will let you know as soon as we have any information. And we will be on this case until we have her back. If you have any questions, call me." Hotch said handing her his card. "And please tell her Father to call me. Is their anyone we can call for you?"

"No, I will be fine. I have great support system here. Just find my little girl." She said starting to cry about that time her secretary came in and walked over to her. "Thank you, Agents. I will be in touch."

They drove to the station to join the rest of the team. They spent the next few hours going over everything they knew and came up with a name, the nephew of Calvin Smith, Lee Smith. All of them head over to the Mother's house to talk to her about her son. Rossi and Detective go to the door and knock. A heavy-set woman smoking a cigarette answers the door "What do you want?" They hold up their badges and announce they are from the FBI and they are looking for her son. "I have seen him in four months." The next question is do you know where he is? "Nope, don't care. He stole money from me. Haven't seen him since. What has the idiot done now?"

Rossi states, "We just want to talk to him. Does he have any friends he would be staying with?

"That stupid kid never had friends. I can't help you." She closes the door in their face.

They walked back out to the team, "She doesn't know where he is."

The Detective adds, "I will put her under twenty-four hour surveillance just in case he shows up."

They find out that Smith worked construction and clean up; he could be living in one of the hundreds of abandon buildings in the city. They finally call it a night and go to the hotel to get some rest.

Hotch gets into his room and takes a shower. He gets in bed and all of his thoughts go back to Claire. He thinks of the first time he saw her in camp. He walked into mess on that afternoon got a cup of coffee and saw her sitting at a table in the back. She had a jar of peanut butter, packet of crackers and a bottle of water in front of her. Of course, she was working on her laptop. He set down at a table beside of her and tried to start conversation. But, she was working and wanted nothing to do with him. Finally, two days later he saw her again, but this she was sitting with guys he knew. He sat down at the table and got properly introduced to her. He drank an extra cup of coffee waiting for everyone to leave, so he could talk just to her. And he remember her asking_, Have you been hanging around here for the last couple of days waiting to meet me?_ He smiled. Right now that seemed so long ago.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 2: Tuesday, First Photographs_**

Hotch arrived at the station before 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning. They had to find a lead today, kept going through his mind. He looked over the letters again; maybe they missed something. Detective Wallace comes in, Hotch asks, "Did you run Calvin Smith's MO with unsolved cases the last few months in the city?"

"Yeah, nothing came up. Smith left all of his victims in open areas, topless, raped, and throat cut." The Detective replied.

Hotch called Garcia. "Garcia, Run Smith's MO, with killings in the surrounding areas, Jersey, Pennsylvania widen the search and see it anything shows up? Call when you find something. Thanks."

"He mentions that his count is three so far in the last letter." He tells the Detective.

The Detective left the room. Hotch heard a commotion in the outer room, he walked out. There was a very upset man demanding to see the person in charge. He recognized him and walked over, "General Ross, I'm Agent Hotchner, if you come with me I will bring you up to date on your daughter's case." The General calms down and follows him.

"What the hell happen to her?" her Dad yells.

"We are trying to put it all together. At the moment, we know that she was receiving letters from a fan of Calvin Smith, the serial killer. Right now we are working on the theory that he has taken her."

"Do you think she is still alive?" He asks directly.

"At the moment we have no reason to think that she isn't. Claire is a strong, intelligent woman, and we will find her?" Hotch said.

"Do you know my daughter, you look familiar?" he asks.

"Yes, sir. I was stationed at the base with her in Pakistan." Hotch said. "I met you a couple of times when you visited her.

"I had dinner with the two of you. You were involved. Did Willie call you?" He asks.

"Yes, Sir. When was the last time you talked to her or saw her?"

"I have been out of the country for the last month. I call right before I left to congratulate her and to tell her how proud I was of her on the Exhibition at the Military Museum. But I haven't seen her in about two months. I came to town, we had dinner." He said as tears starting streaming down his face. "Please find her."

The rest of the team arrives; Hotch introduces them to General Ross. They ask him a few more questions. Then he leaves to go to talk with Claire's Mother.

Detective Wallace returns to the room. Garcia calls, "Garcia, you're on speaker. Go ahead."

"Sir, you were right, we have three victims, two from Newark and one in Hudson. All with Smith's MO. I am sending the files, as we speak. Call when you need me." Garcia reported.

Wallace said. "I have also, put out an APB on Lee Smith."

"Good, that more than we had yesterday." JJ replies.

An officer enters the room and announces a body has just been found in the park. They all head out to the scene; it's a young woman. She had been sexually abused, throat cut, and left along a jogging path. In their evaluation she had been beaten and killed at another location and dispose of in the park. The CSI team arrives and collects evidence and then the body is moved to the morgue. They go back to the station to await the lab reports.

About two o'clock Willie and Nina come rushing in to talk to Hotch. Willie is talking extremely fast. Hotch said "Calm down, take a breath. Now, tell me."

"The camera Claire took, I know why. It automatically download to a website she set up so she wouldn't lose any photos. There were photos downloaded late yesterday afternoon." Willie tells the team.

Nina sets down at the computer, "Nineteen photos were posted on the sight yesterday. Five were street scenes; four looked like the interior of a car, and one of her hands is bound with a plastic tie to the door handle of the car. The others were of a room, a hamburger, and her bruises."

Hotch said, "That's Claire's hand. She really bruised."

"How do you know that for sure?" Rossi asks.

"The ring, I brought it for her when we were in Mumbai." He said. "He is holding her captive."

"Good, she's alive." Rossi said.

"She didn't buy the hamburger, he must have brought it to her. She's a vegetarian." Hotch smile. "And the room must be where she is being held."

About the tenth picture, they all gasp a little, it's a picture Claire took of herself, sitting curled up on a cot, looking terrify. Hotch turns and walks away for a moment.

"Let's go back and concentrate on the street scenes, only." Rossi say.

They print out the photos to go over to in hope to find the location. Garcia is trying to track the location that the photos download and has put an alert on the site, in case more photos are downloaded.

Hotch sits and studies the photos. He sees the one of her hand. That ring, it takes him back to the long weekend in Mumbai. They had been together about two months, when he talked her into a little R&R. They chose Mumbai because they could easily get a flight and they had a five star hotel. When they arrived the first then they did was order room service and took a bath. The following three days they never left the room. They just enjoyed being alone and not in the middle of a camp in the desert. Also, to have a king size bed with clean sheets was much nicer than two cots taped together. And the sex was fantastic. He remembered her blue eyes shining in the sunlight, as they were having breakfast on the balcony and thinking how beautiful she was. It was a great weekend. When they arrived at the airport for their return flight, they past this man selling handmade jewelry, Claire saw the ring; the merchant assured her it was one of a kind. He made it out of gold and he hand etch the symbol for infinity on it. Aaron bought it for her, she was thrilled; said she couldn't leave Mumbai without a memory of their weekend together.

He snapped his mind back to the photos; he could see the bruises on her arms. He was worry about the bruises he didn't see.

They identified the location that the download took place. Officers would take Claire's picture and see if anyone had seen her. The other interesting thing was that one of the street scenes showed a shop called _Betty's Donuts. _The young woman found dead today, was a waitress at that donut shop.

After hearing that, Reid asks, "Do you think he could be taking her with him to find his victims? We know that he is obsessed with the articles that Claire wrote about his uncle. What if he wants her to write about him? He wants to be famous. That why he let her take the cameras and why she is alive."

Nina came running over, "More photos just came up."

They all run over to the computer, Garcia is trying to find a location. There are a total of twenty-two photos posted. One is a photo of her legs; they are bruised. They continue flipping through them one a police officer walking down the street. They print it; they can run his picture through the NYPD data and find out where he was. There are no landmarks, no street signs in any of the photos apparently he is watching her.

_Where are you, Claire_. Hotch says to himself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Claire is Taken**

Claire returns from her run on Saturday morning, it was just a beautiful day. As she started to walk in her building a deliveryman walk up and has a package for her. He offered to carry it up for her. According to him it was heavy. She agreed, not a wise move on her part. The man follow her in she told him to put the package by the door. She turned he had a gun. He was screaming to her about his uncle and how unfair she had been by not telling the truth. She listens and finally he quieted down. She very calmly asks, who he was and what she did. He explained that his uncle was Calvin Smith; her articles made him look like a monster. After that, his entire family was hated in their neighborhood. He was twenty, had a girlfriend who broke up with him after finding out about his uncle. Since everyone expected him to be just like his uncle, he wanted to be more famous. And she was going to help him accomplish that by writing his story.

She agreed to write his story, but she told him, that she needed her camera to document everything about him. To her surprise he agreed with her. She grabs the first one, knowing that it would download every picture, maybe that would help find her. Then she just grabs the newest one. On her way past her desk she grabbed a picture of Aaron, and put it on Willie's desk. Hoping that he would understand to call Aaron. She knew that if anyone could find her, he could.

"Who are you?" She asks. "If I'm going write you story, I have to know?"

"I am Calvin Smith's nephew. My name is Lee Smith. You didn't write a true story. Did you even talk to him, before you wrote all of the lies." He yelled.

"No, I didn't talk to him. I requested an interview, but he refused to talk to me. So, I talked to the victim's families." Claire responses.

"Why wouldn't he talk to you?" He asks.

"How the hell would I know? He just said NO to the request." She said.

"Well, now you can write my story. I already killed three, but I will tell you all about them. Then we can find more." He laughed. "We will be a team, and I will be famous. Come on we need to go." He points the gun at her.

She heads to the door. "Wait," he said. "First, some rules. You stay beside of me, you say nothing and you won't get hurt. You disobey me; you and others will get hurt. Understand."

The entire way downstairs and out the door, she was trying to figure out how to get away. But, it is New York, for god sakes; there are always people around. She went with him and obeyed. He makes her get in the back seat of his car on the floor. Stay down don't move. He puts, duct tape around her hands and ankles. Then across her mouth. They traveled, she was trying to listen to sounds, she needed to know where he was taking her. They travel around for about forty minutes and then ended up at a vacant building. He cut the tape from her ankles, grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the car. They step down six steps and he opened a door. He had apparently been living there. He had a cot in the corner, and a table with a hot plate. She looked around for any clues; there is one small window, she can't see anything.

He grabbed her, and pulled her across the floor. He removed the rest of the duct tape. "I have a room ready for you." He shoved into a small room with a cot. He slammed the door and she heard a click. He had locked her in. Then all she heard was silence. She sat down on the cot and cried.

He finally returned, he opened the door; she darted out. He hit her and knocked her down. "No, you can't do that. We have to work together." He said running his hands down her body.

"Get you hands off from me. You touch me again, like that. I will not write a word about you. You can kill me. That's my deal, take it or leave it? I don't give a damn." She screams at him. Aaron once told her that was the most important thing when dealing with killers is not to show any fear. God, I hope he is right.

"I won't touch you, again. But, do what I tell you. Here's some food. I'm leaving for the night. Do you need anything? There is a bucket in the room that's your bathroom. And here's some water." He hands her a gallon jug.

"How do you expect to write without my computer, or at least paper and a pencil. And I need my cameras. I need to make sure they are ready to go." She said just ranting.

He hands them to her. "Here are your cameras." He said. He also handed her a battery power light. "You will need this tonight. Try to get some sleep. We will have a long day tomorrow." He tells her. Smith closes the door and locks it.

She is trying not to be scared to death, but she is. Claire spends most of the night, trying to find a way out. She looks at the fast food bag. It's from McDonalds, that won't help locate her. She takes a picture of it. She makes sure to show that there is a hamburger, that way they, whoever they are, will know that someone else brought it for her. Claire is a vegetarian. Maybe, that is a clue. She also, takes pictures of her room and her bruises.

And then she sits down in the corner of the cot with her light. And waits. She takes a selfie.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Hunting**

She wakes early the next morning pack up her cameras and waits. Finally, she hears someone on the other side of the door. She wishing Aaron was out there, but she know it's not. The door opens, "Well, morning, bitch. Did you sleep well? You look like shit. I brought you coffee. Come on, out. Are your cameras, ready to go?" He asks.

"This one will need to be charged." She hands it to him, removing the card.

"I will take care of it. I think we will go hunting today. Does that sound like fun?" he asks.

"Do I have a choice?" she replied.

"Look, bitch, you do what I say and you live. Simple. Here I brought you some pencils and some paper, so you can write the story." He said handing everything to her. The pencils are only about two inches tall.

"I will put these in my room." She walks in and throws them on the cot. And sticks one of the pencil in her bra.

He walks over to the door. "Drink your coffee, I will get you something to eat later. Lets go." He puts a blindfold on her. "No, peeking." He laughs and that send shivers down her spine. She places her coffee on the table in the big room. He said leading her out to the car. "OK, here are the rules for when we are out. No, talking to anyone. No, pictures unless I said so. No pictures of street signs." He puts a plastic pull strap around her wrist and the car door handle. He pulls it very tight.

"OK, I understand." Claire said. "I need my big camera. I have to set this up, so I will be ready to take pictures."

"Fine, but none until I tell you." He reaches into the bag and gets it for her. They leave, she trying to count the lights, and listen for any sounds. God, she thought this could be any of a thousand streets in New York.

Finally, after about fifteen-minutes he removes the blindfold. She doesn't recognize the area. He is just driving up and down the streets. Finally, he parks in front of a donut shop.

"Wait here." He laughed.

Claire turns the camera on and starts snapping picture, the donut shop, and other businesses. People anything that might help. She leaves the camera turned on hoping that it will download the picture to the website. He returns to the car. "I think we have found the next one. See the pretty little blond behind the counter. That's her." He said.

"OK, let's get something to eat. I'm going to let you go in." They went into a sub shop. "But, talk to me only. Understand?" He asks.

"Yes." She nodded. "I need to go to the bathroom."

"I have to check it out." He said. They walk in the restroom. One stall, no windows. "OK, I will wait outside the door. Don't lock it."

She shakes her head. He steps out the door. She goes in the stall and uses the bathroom and also, writes on the wall. _Help, called the NYPD. Dark blue car. Lee Smith. Help me. C. Ross._ She finishes and washes her hands and face. Then walks out and eats lunch with him.

They drive a few blocks; he pulls into an alley and puts her blindfold back on, fifteen minutes later she is back in the basement. He locks her in the room and leaves.

She is so exhausted; she lies down on the cot and sleeps.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Photographs and a Sighting**

Reid continues to study the pictures, and then he said to Hotch, "These have to mean something. We need to check them out. She is trying to help us."

"Let's go, we will go shop to shop. Maybe someone saw them." Hotch said.

He, Reid and Rossi head out; they decide to start at Betty's Donuts and work from there.

They work their way down the block; about a block and a half later, they walk into the sub shop. They question the guy at the counter, he identified her picture, he tells them, "She was in here yesterday, with a guy. It was odd, she did say anything the guy ordered for her. All she wanted was vegetables. Who eats that?"

"Was this the guy with her? What your name?" Rossi held up a picture of Smith.

"Ernie. Yea, that was the guy." Ernie said

"Is your camera working? If it is we need the tape." Rossi said.

Ernie looked at them and replied, "I don't know. I will have to call the manager?"

"Do that." Rossi ordered.

"How did she look? Tell me what they did when they came in?" Hotch asks.

"She looked a little beat up and dirty. I figured she was on drugs. Limping a little. They came in and went to the restroom. He waited outside the door for her. And then she stood beside of him as he ordered. They sat in the table in the corner and ate." Ernie reported.

"Ernie, we are going to look in your restrooms, while you call your manager." Rossi sternly said.

The three of them walked in the only restroom. It was extremely dirty. Hotch walked in the stall and started reading the walls. He closed the door and in the corner of the bottom of the door was a message from Claire. "Guys, I have found a note. It reads, _Help, called the NYPD. Dark blue car. Lee Smith. Help me. C. Ross._" He snaps a picture with his phone, and sends it to the rest of the team.

Rossi calls Detective Wallace and tells him what they have found. They are on their way.

Ernie walks over to Hotch, the video is on the manager's computer in his office. He will be here in five minutes.

Rossi said, "Aaron, this is a good thing, she is alive. He has a purpose for her. That will keep her alive."

"I know, I just worry about how much abuse she can take." He replied.

The manager walks in, the three of them follows him in to the office. Reid calls Garcia, "Garcia, pull down the security file from yesterday on this computer."

"Will do, I will send it to all of you." She did her magic.

They watched it on their tablets, "Look she is looking at the camera. She nodded. She is telling us she is OK." Reid states.

The Detective arrives they turn the scene over to him and return to the station to go over the video and everything else.

When they return, General Ross is waiting on them. Just as Hotch is getting ready to update him, Willie walks in; he tells them both what has happen.

"She alive. That's good. She's a fighter." Her Dad said proudly.

"She looks good, under the circumstances." Hotch said trying to reassure them and him.

The rest of the team joins them in the conference room. They watch the tape again. Just to see if anyone picks up on anything. Willie added, "She doesn't seem to be coughing."

"Has she been sick?" Hotch asks.

"She was in India about five month ago and came back with a bad virus. She was in the hospital for about two weeks. The doctor said it effected her so bad because of the damage to her lung." Willie answered.

"What damage?" Hotch asks.

Willie looked at him, and then said, "That's right. You had already left; we were out in the middle of the dessert, going to a school when the humvee hit an IED. It turned us over. Out of the nine of us, five where injured. Mine was the most serious; I lost my leg. They pulled me out and over to the rocks, Claire used her belt to tie off my leg to stop the bleeding. And then she help Paul, he had a lot of broken bones. She helped one of the guys splint his leg. After about twenty minute the guys realized; Claire had been injured, on her side. A helicopter finally got to us; they treated us and got us ready to fly out. But, they only had room for four. Claire refused to go, the medic bandaged her chest. She said she could wait, everyone else needed to go. None, of us wanted to leave her, the other helicopter couldn't get to them until daylight. Pakistan is a dangerous place for women. We didn't want her spending the night out there. But, there was no way she was getting on that flight. They got picked up at first light and taken to the closest base. Then she was taken to Germany. That's what type of woman she is, she can make it through this."

General Ross continued, "I met her flight in Germany. She had broken ribs and some internal injuries. Because of the delay in treatment, she suffered a massive infection in her right side. She was in the hospital for over a month. The infection damaged her lung. But, she is improving, even running again."

Hotch gets up and walks out of the room. Rossi follows. "Dave, how did I not hear about all of this? My god, she could have died."

"She didn't die and she is not going to now." Dave told him. "You will see her, again."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Tuesday, A Long Day and More Breadcrumbs**

Claire wakes up; she is still locked in the room. She picks up her water jug and takes a drink. She picks up a pencil and the paper and started to write Smith's story. She remembers, the profiles that Aaron would write and she would read in Pakistan. They would be in bed, two cots shoved together, and he would be working. She was trying to structure the article, as he did in a profile using all the key words. She also, includes details about boats passing, church bells ringing in the evening, and a train passing zooming past. Now, she just has to get it to Aaron.

The next morning, she hears the door open. "Get up bitch, I got you something to eat." She walks out of the room.

She walks over to the table and pull out an Egg Sandwich. "I started to write your story last night. I need to interview you about your childhood. You want to tell me about it now?"

"Why do you need that?" he asks.

"It an article, I have to start somewhere in your life. People like to read about your background." She explained. "You know if you really want to show the cops you are like your uncle. You should do what he did?"

"I am. Why do you think I have been killing these girls?" He yelled at her.

"But, everyone knows he did that. What wasn't made public, was the fact that your uncle would send notes to the cops, taunting them. You didn't know that? I guess that not surprising. The cops always hold back information, in the reports and in court. That way, it's easier to tell if they have arrested the true killer or a copycat." She tells him, of course, it's a lie, Smith never sent letters to the police.

"My uncle did that. How do you know?" He asks.

Claire smiled, "Let's just say I got to know one of the Detectives on the case very well."

"I was thinking we could send them pages of my articles. All you would need to do is copy it. And send it to them. That would piss off the cops." She suggested.

"Yea, it would. Read me what you wrote." He said.

Claire proceeds to read the story in a very dramatic way. "I like it I will send it." He said.

"I will do it while we are out. We need to do some hunting, anyway." He laughed.

Claire starts to cough. He stares at her. "You, OK, bitch."

"I will be. I have a problem with one of my lungs. I get infections easily." She stated.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." He ordered.

She ties shoes and they get in his car. He had always blindfolded her before they left the basement, this time he didn't. As they walked out she looks at the building across the street; no street sign but the number on the building is 532. He blindfolds her and ties her hands. He puts her camera on her lap. They pull in to a gas station, she can tell by the smell. "Can I use the bathroom while we are here?"

"How do you know where we are?" He looked at her.

"I smell the gas.' She answers sternly.

"No, not at this one. Later." He said. He gets out.

She points her camera up towards the window and start snapping pictures. Since she is blindfolded, she doesn't know what she is taking.

They drive around for another fifteen minutes, and then he takes off the blindfold. She knows she is in Queens, she recognizes Flatbush Avenue. They stop on a side street, he tells her to stay in the car. Which is funny because she is tied to the door handle. She moves the camera up and points it out the windows and takes pictures. She notices that the camera is connecting to the Internet. She hits the video button. And starts to talk;_ Tuesday, around 11AM, in alley in Queens, close to Flatbush. We drove about 25 minutes to the north to get here. I'm in a basement of vacant building. Number on the building across the street in 532. Possibly Brooklyn. Boats and trains are close by. Gas station within five minutes. He's coming got to go._

"Who are you talking to?" He asks.

"No one. That is the way I write. I plan the article in my head before I write it." She answered sharply.

"Don't get bitchy about it. There is a little bar up here. You can use the bathroom there. Remember the rules, you talk to no one." He said.

We walk into this dingy dark biker bar. He walks her back to the restroom and waits until it is empty. "I will wait out here." He said. She goes in and then into the stall. She write on the door, _11:35, Help me. C. Ross._ Then she goes to the bathroom and cleans up as much as she can. They walk out to the car. He straps her hand to the door. She lifts her camera and tries to take a few pictures of the bar. About five minutes later he blindfolds her again. She starts to cough.

We arrive back at the building. He puts her in the room and locks the door. "I will be back sometime. Maybe?" he laughs.

Claire is totally exhausted and is not feeling well; she has been here for four days. She lies down on the cot and cries herself to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Messages and Awareness**

About noon on Tuesday, Garcia calls, "We have pictures downloading." About twenty-five pictures and a video download. Mostly, it is random pictures of shops. Then they watch the video, the camera is aimed at her legs. But, when they listen to it they understand. Claire begins, _Tuesday, around 11AM, in alley in Queens, close to Flatbush. We drove about 25 minutes to the north to get here. I'm in a basement of vacant building. Number on the building across the street in 532, I think. Possibly Brooklyn. Boats and trains are close by. Gas station within five minutes. He's coming got to go._

They look at the pictures of the biker's bar; there are at least five pictures. Rossi and Morgan decide to check it out.

Reid listens to the recording; he and Hotch begin to analyze it. Starting with 532 that still leaves a lot of areas to cover and 532 is not by boats or trains. Reid starts marking possible locations on the map. "From this I would say she is right, she is being held in Brooklyn. She says there is a gas station close by. Not a lot to go on. But she is helping." He said.

There is a knock on the door; it's Claire's parents, Willie and Nina. "You called and said you got pictures and a video?" Her Dad said.

"Yes, she managed to record a message by using the camera. Would you like to hear it?"

Hotch asks.

They all nod yes. Hotch looks at Reid and tells him "Go ahead." They play it for them.

"She sounds, okay? Tired, but okay." Her Mom said with tears running down her face.

The General puts his hand on her back and reassures her. "Marian, she will make through this. She is our daughter; that makes her very strong. Claire will make it home. I know she will."

"He has purpose for her, she is alive. We will get her back." Hotch said.

Reid spoke up, "And the way she is helping in really ingenious. She has helped in narrowing down area to look in." He smiled. They all did.

Rossi calls to report on the Bar, "Claire and Smith were in there around 11:30 today. We found a note on the bathroom door; this one reads _11:35, Help me. C. Ross._ I will send you pictures.

Hotch is getting frustrated that they can't locate her. He tells Reid, "We have to be overlooking something, but what?"

Finally, around 9:00 the team heads over to the hotel to get some rest. Hotch takes a shower, and climbs into bed. He clicks through the photographs that Claire has taken in the last couple of days. They have to find her soon, or it could be too late. He thinks about the time they spent together, the camp was, hot, dusty and crowded. But, she made it bearable for him. When they started seeing each other, they both agreed it was just a casual thing. But, within the first few weeks they knew it was more. When she was at camp, she stayed in his tent. He had duct taped their cots together, it worked, not very comfortable. But, they like it. Willie and the other guys teased them about their _Love Shack_. He couldn't believe that he had just walked away from her. She's intelligence, beautiful, and independent. Truth is, at the time she scared him to death. He chose to walk away. But, that was three years ago, a lot of things in his life have changed. He would love to try again with her. He did love her very much and he still does. They need to find her and soon.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Wednesday, Hope and Anguish**

Hotch and the team report to the station, nothing new had come in overnight. No sighting, no photographs, and no video.

Around 10:30, Detective Wallace walks in, "Agent Hotchner, this was just delivered to the front desk. The officer on the desk said some kid dropped it off. We are pulling video, now."

Hotch put on gloves and opens it. There is a note clipped to the article. It reads:

_Like my Uncle, I am going to keep in contact with the police. I'm going to be famous. This is just the first part of my story. There will be more coming." Lee Smith_

Detective Wallace remarks, "Smith never made contact with the police."

"No, I'm sure Claire told him that so she could make contact." Hotch said.

They started reading the article, after two paragraphs, Rossi turn to Hotch, "You taught her to write profiles? That is what this is." Rossi shakes his head. "She sent us a complete profile of Lee Smith. Very impressive."

Hotch smiled, "She may have read one or two of mine. She is a quick study."

Reid said, "Wait it is a profile, but she has added clues for us. Looks she mentions evening church bell, trains and boats. Also, she writes about a basement with one window, kids playing outside, and a blue door on the building across the street. Listen to this line that Claire wrote, _he leaves me to write in the quiet and darkness_. She telling us he is not staying with her, but keeping her somewhere. We need to track all of these down.

They started gone over the article line by line. Trying to decode any message in it.

Hotch said, "We need to locate all churches in the Brooklyn area that ring bells in the evening. JJ, you and Reid work on that. We may be able to narrow down the location with the other sounds she hears.

Detective Wallace offered, "I will send out officer to drive around the water front in Brooklyn looking for building with blue doors."

"Tell them to look for a building with the number 532 on it or around it." Hotch added.

They continue doing the research throughout the day. Reid said, "I think the best bet to concentrate on is the Brooklyn Heights area. The waterfront has quite a few vacant building; you have the trains and boats, and St. Francis in lower Manhattan rings bells at 6:00 P.M. They could be heard in that area."

"Let's concentrate in that area. JJ call and let Wallace know that." Hotch told them.

Rossi looked at his watch, it's 4:45, no photos today. "Hotch, what do you say, want to take a ride over and have a look around the area?"

"We might as well, can't do anything here. Reid, it anything comes in let us know immediately." Hotch ordered.

"Of course." Reid replied.

Hotch and Rossi drive around for the next few hours, they saw a few blue doors and check them out.

Hotch called the rest of the team and told them to go back to the hotel and get some rest. They would meet at the Station in the morning at 7:30.

Rossi and Hotch grab dinner and a drink before returning to the hotel. As they are having a drink Rossi said, "Aaron, talk to me. You need to talk this out."

"Dave, you and I both know that the fact we didn't hear from her today is bad. He could have killed her. I thought we would find her and I would get to explain why I did what I did." Hotch said.

"So, you are feeling this way because of your guilt? And you are just going to give up on finding her?" He asks.

"No, Dave. I was scared of being with her and now I'm scared of losing her. I need to tell her, how a felt and how I feel. I'm worried that we are too late." Aaron shared with him.

"I don't know her, but from everything I heard, my guess is she has a plan. I'm putting my money on her surviving." Dave smiles.

"I wouldn't bet against her, either. She's an amazing woman. Tomorrow, maybe tomorrow." Hotch said.

**Claire's Wednesday**

Claire woke up; she wondered what time it was. Everything was quiet she could hear some kids playing and street noise. Smith hadn't come back, yet. She picked up her water jug and took a drink. It was almost empty. Then she peed, in the foul smelling bucket. Hopefully, he would put a new one in today. She coughs, that had gotten much worst. Her chest was starting to hurt. She sat back down on her cot and went to the very back pages in her notebook, and starting writing her Mom a goodbye letter, and then she wrote one for her Dad. For the first time, since she had been taken, she doesn't think she will make it out alive. Claire knows that they are looking for her, but she is losing hope. She falls back to sleep.

The door opened and startled her. "Hey bitch, here's some food." He threw a bag at her. "Sorry, I'm late today. I had some business to take care of." He laughs. "You look bad. Do you need something?"

"Yeah, I need to call my doctor and get some antibiotics." Claire screams at him. "I can get them to call it in to the drug store, you can pick it up."

"Too, late today. You can take care of it tomorrow. What else do you need?" he yelled.

She shook her head, "More water and a clean bucket."

"Go out at the table and eat, I will clean up in here." He told her. She takes the bag of food and sat down at the table. She ate a few french fries and the bun off from the hamburger. Smith walked over, "I will be back first thing in the morning and take you to call your doctor. I have things to do." She walks back into her room. He locked the door and left.

Claire started to think about how she could work the phone call to her doctor, to her advantage. There has to be a way. She hears the church bells ringing; tonight they are very soothing to her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Detection and Take Down**

Hotch and the team are awaken at 5:30, Detective Wallace reports that a women's body has been found in the park. They leave for the crime scene. A thought keeps running though Hotch's mind, _what if is Claire?_ They arrive at the park. It isn't Claire. But, it is the same MO as the other victims of Lee Smith.

Early that morning, Claire's door opens. "Here's some coffee, bitch. Come on, we will call your doctor. Did you write anything last night?"

She looks at him, "No, but as soon as I feel better I will."

"I have another one to tell you about." He happily said.

"Let's go." She said she couldn't bear to think of another woman being killed. This had to stop; she had to make that happen.

She gets ready, picks up her camera. Then he blindfolds her, and takes her to the car. He ties her hand to the door. He puts the camera in her lap. They drive for about fifteen minute and then stop. He takes the blindfold off. "Okay, call your doctor, don't try to tell her anything."

She takes a deep breath, and dial the doctor's office, a voice answers, "Dr. Lewis office, how may I help you."

"Hello, my name is Claire Ross, I'm a patient of Dr. Lewis. I'm having one of my coughing problems and need a prescription called in." she said very seriously,

"Of course Claire, is everything all right? This is Megan. I will call it in for you immediately. Should we call in to the usual place?" She asks.

"Thank you, so much Nina. I appreciate your assistance. Please call it in to Rite Aid. Yes, I will pick it up after 2:00 today." Claire said and hangs up quickly. Hoping that what she just did would work.

"Good job, bitch." Smith said. "Come I will get you something to eat." He pulls in to a fast food restaurant. He goes in. I switch on my camera; it is connecting. I put it on video and quickly say, _Call Nina, about Dr. Lewis and this afternoon_. I see him coming out the door, and switch it back to photo and stare out the window. He hands me an egg sandwich and a cup of coffee. I open it and start to eat it. "Hurry up, then I will take you back." He said.

"Maybe, I should go with you to the drugstore. Just in case." She suggested.

"No, I go alone. Don't need anyone see you in your neighborhood." He said.

After, I finished eating, he blindfolded me and we drove back to the basement and locked me into my room. Please, Please someone help me.

Hotch and the team returns from the crime scene around 11:00. Garcia calls, Hotch picks up the phone, "You are on speaker Garcia"

"Quick, a message from Claire just came through. Should be on your tablets now."

They all listen to it. Rossi puts in a call to Nina, "Nina, I need address and phone of Dr. Lewis?"

"Okay," she responses. I just sent them to you.

"Thanks Nina." Rossi said.

Hotch and Rossi head over to Dr. Lewis's Offices. They walk in and talk with Megan, she tells them about the strange call she had from Claire this morning. "I told her that I would call it in immediately, but she kept saying after 2:00."

"Has the script been called in?" Hotch asks.

"Yes, first thing" Megan replied. Hotch calls JJ and has her go to the pharmacy to make sure the meds are not picked up.

"The other thing she called me Nina this morning. She knows my name. She is always so friendly to me. Is she okay?" Megan asks.

"She will be fine. Thanks for you help." Hotch said to her.

They went back to the station, and decided on the plan, two plans actually. First, if she was with him. They would take him down as he walked away from the car and then get Claire from the car. Next, if Claire isn't with him, they will follow him as he leaves and hopefully he will take them to her. A tracking device will also be placed on his car. They head down to the drugstore to get into position. JJ will be in the pharmacy, acting as a pharmacy tech and will wait on him when he comes in. And a tracking device has been place in the bottom of the pill bottle. There will, also be a couple of other undercover officers in the store, just in case.

They station the agents and officers in their positions, a little after 2:00 a dark blue car pulls in to the parking lot. Someone gets out, they ID him as Lee Smith, their unsub.

A woman comes up to him, they talk, she turns, walks into the drug store and up the counter. She tells the cashier she is there to pickup a prescription for Claire Ross. The cashier said, "It isn't up here yet, I will see if it is in the back."

JJ brings the bag up to the counter to the woman. She smiles and said. "Sorry, for you wait. This is covered under your insurance, so there is no charged. Thank you for shopping with us."

The woman walks out of the store and over to Smith's car. She hands him the bag, he gives her some cash and gets in his car. "Garcia, are you tracking?" Hotch asks.

"Up and running, sir." She replies.

The woman walks down the street, the NYPD is waiting for her around the corner. She will be taken to the station for questioning.

Smith pulls out of the parking lot and heads south. "He's heading for Brooklyn." Morgan tells them. They keep eyes on him not following too closely. He crosses the bridge; he pulls in at a Wendy's and goes through the drive-thru. Then he pulls out and heads south. Hotch and Rossi are a block over from him trying to stay close. Smith pulls on a side street of abandon buildings. Then he pulls into an alley between two buildings. He parks his car behind a line of dumpsters. Smith get out and goes into the basement of the building on the right. The NYPD puts shooters on the roof of the building next to his car. Hotch and Rossi park down the street and walk toward the alley. Morgan and the rest of the team do the same. They and the NYPD SWAT team take their posts. The plan is for them to take him down as he leaves the building and then go in and get Claire out. As they wait, Hotch looks around on the side of the building facing the door, is the number 532. If you look closely, you can tell that the number was 23532, but the first two numbers are gone. And the service door on the building is painted blue.

Claire sets on her cot. She is feeling so bad, she thinking she did all she could on the call today. Please let this be the day. Six days here is starting to wear her down. She hears someone coming in.

The door opens, "Here, bitch, this is for you and I pickup your pills. You can come out and eat in the front it you want. Did you write any today?" He asks.

"A little, tell me about last night. Did you kill again?" Claire asks while coughing.

"Number five." He said proudly. "One more and I tied my Uncle's record. I'm thinking I will go pick one tonight and maybe I will bring her back here and you can take pictures."

Claire just stared at him for making that statement; right now she was beginning to wish she would die.

"Bitch, get back in your room. I got business to do." He smiled. Claire looks at him, thinking I hate that smile.

She walks back into the room; she hears the lock being put onto the door. She sits down in the corner of the cot, pulls her legs up against her chest and bows her head.

The SWAT team sees the door open and Smith walks out when he get to the car door is surrounded, thrown on the ground and handcuffed. Morgan grabs the keys from Smith's hand. Hotch, Morgan and Rossi are the first ones through the door. As they enter, they see a room in the back with a lock on the door.

Morgan runs to unlock the door. "Hotch, maybe I better go in first?" He says.

"No." Hotch states. They open the door they see Claire sitting on the cot in a fetal position with her head is down. Then she hears, "Claire, it's okay." Hotch said as he runs over and grabs her.

"Aaron, I knew you would find me. Get me out of here; get me out of here. Please" Claire screams and cries.

He picks her up and carries her out to the waiting ambulance. They wrap a blanket around her and immediately start an IV she is severely dehydrated. The Medic told them we need to get her to the hospital fast. Hotch jumped in the ambulance beside of her and holds her hand. Claire had passed out, he was sure she was totally exhausted.

JJ had notifies Claire's parents and they will meet them at the hospital.

The ambulance arrives at the ER; they rush Claire into an exam room and start working on her. Once she is stabilized they will document her injuries, they have a procedure that must be followed. It consists of a NYPD policewoman being presence at all times; all clothing is carefully removed, bagged and tagged for evidence. The doctor will take scrapings from under her fingernails and perform a rape kit on her. All of her bruises and injuries were photographed. Hotch thought it was probably good that she was unconscious for most of that. After all of that was completed, the nurses cleaned her up and put her in a hospital gown.

Her parents, Willie and Nina walk through the door and directly to Aaron. "How is she?"

Her Mom asks.

"They are in with her now, when we found her she was conscience and talking. And glad to see us." Hotch said with a smile.

The doctor came over "May I speak with the family, please."

"We are all her family, you can tell all of us." Her Dad said taking hold of his ex-wife hand.

The doctor smiled. "Okay, for what she has been through in the last six days, she is in good shape. She has a slight lung infection; we are treating that with antibiotics. It is not bad. She is very dehydrated; we will give her fluids for the next twenty-four hours. Some of the blood levels are off; that is probably from not eating and stress. We are adding supplements to her IV's. We ran a rape kit; she has no signs of sexual abuse. We will admit her for the next forty-eight hours or so. In time she will recover."

"Thank you, doctor. When can we see her?" Mom asks.

"She will be sedated for the night, she needs to rest." He said. "But, if you would like to go in and see her that's fine. Don't stay too long. The nurse will let you know when they get her settled in a room. I will talk to you in the morning."

The nurse comes out; Claire has been transferred to her room. They all head to see her.

Her Mom and Dad go in first to be with her. Claire is sedated but it is just comforting to them to be able to touch her. Finally, her Dad tells the rest of them to come in. Willie rush to her. "See Claire, we are all here with you. We love you." He leans down and kisses her on the forehead.

Nina says, "Welcome back, boss." And kisses her cheek.

Hotch stand beside of her bed, smiles and holds her hand.

"Well, Nina and I should be going. Tell Claire we will stop by tomorrow." Willie said.

"Thank you, both of you for everything." Her Dad said.

The General said, "Marian, I think it is time to go home and get some rest, Claire is safe." She shakes her head. They both are exhausted. "Aaron, if there is any change call us." He said with a smile.

"I will, sir." Aaron replied.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Recovery and Memories**

Aaron moves a chair up by her bed, removes his jacket and tie, takes her hand and settled in for the night. Around 5:00 A.M, he feels a tug on his hand. He opens his eyes, "Well, good morning. How do you feel?"

"I'm good." She smiles. "You didn't have to stay." Claire said.

"Yeah, I did. I want to you know that you are safe and loved." He said.

"Were Mom and Dad here last night? I can remember hearing their voices." She asks.

"Yes, and they were very happy to see you. They will be here back in this morning." He answers.

Claire smiles and looks at his hand and squeezes it, "It's good to see you again. How's Jack?" She remembers the times that she and Aaron would skype with him in Pakistan.

"Growing, getting to be a strong, independent little boy. Claire, I'm so sorry, I left…" he started to say.

She interrupted him, "Shhh.. Don't want to talk about that, not today anyway. So, when are you and the team going to interview me?"

He smiled. "When you feel up to it. Let us know."

"Let's do it this afternoon. I want to get this over with." She said while yawning.

"Now, I think you should close your eyes and get some sleep. I will be here when you wake up." He said he lean forward and kissed her hand.

She drifted back to sleep.

About 7:00, her parent walked back in the door. Hotch got up and walked out in the hallway with her Dad. Her Mom sat down beside of her. He told the General that, about her waking up this morning and that the doctor hasn't been in.

"Son, please stop calling me, General and sir, the name is Tom." He smiled. "You care about my daughter, don't hurt her again. She doesn't deserve that."

"I know, and I don't plan on letting that happen." Hotch said.

They walk back into the room and took a seat. About five minutes later, Claire slowly opens her eyes, "You are back. Aaron said you would be." She smiled.

They both gather around her bed and talked with her. Then her doctor came in, "You are looking much better this morning, that's always good to see." The three of them stepped out in a hallway while the doctor examined her. He called them back into the room. "Claire is doing well. I talked to Dr. Lewis this morning; she and I agreed that the antibiotics should be continued for another day. If you start eating and drinking, I will take your IV out later today. You need to rest. Your body has been through a lot. I will be back in to see you this evening. It you need me for anything, just let the nurse know." The doctor told them as he walked out the door.

"Well, that's good news. I'm going to go over to the station for a little while. I will be back. If you change your mind about the interview, just let me know. I will call and see what I can get you for lunch." He smiled and leaned down and kissed her. He said good bye to her parents and left.

"Well, he seems nice. Your Dad told me you met him in Pakistan?" her Mom questioned.

"Yes, I did. And he has always been a nice guy." She smiled.

Hotch stopped at the hotel and took a shower then went to the station. He bought everyone up to date about Claire's condition. He also, informed them that he and Rossi will be conducting and interview with Claire today. It will be videotaped. They work finishing up the case. The team will be heading home after the interview. Hotch had decided he would stay another day or so. Around 11:45 he calls Claire's room. Her Mom answers and hand the phone to Claire. "Hi, Aaron."

"Feeling all right? I'm on my way over should I pick up lunch for you?" He asks.

"I'm feeling pretty good. They took out my IV and took a shower. So, I feel so much better. And Willie and Nina stopped by for a visit. As far as lunch, I had a late breakfast, so I'm not that hungry. Thanks. See you later." She said.

A bit later, he walks in carrying a chocolate milkshake for her. He walks over and kisses her. "Here thought you might like this." He put the straw in the shake and hands it to her.

She smiles, thinking back to the last time they had milkshakes together. It was 3:00 A.M their last night together in Mumbai, she wanted a milkshake so bad. He ended up bribing the consignor to let them go into the hotel kitchen and make their own. She takes a sip, "Thank you." She smiled.

Dad had going to get coffee, he returned and said, "Marian, let go get something to eat. Claire is in good hands here."

"Sounds nice." She replied.

Hotch said to them, "An agent will be here at 2:00 to take her statement. So, there will be an officer at the door during that time."

"We won't hurry back then. See you later, baby." Her Dad said. They left to go to lunch.

"Alone at last." She teased. He smiled at her. "I was talking to my milkshake."

It was nice; they just sat and talked about the last three years. She told him about the accident in Pakistan, other assignments; and the exhibit that she was preparing for at the American Military Museum. She has a book coming out on with her photographs and articles about her year being embedded with the unit.

Hotch told her about the last three years, mostly about Jack, lost love, and injuries. "When I left you three years ago, I was scared of getting into a relationship. But, when Willie told me you were missing that terrify me. In the last week I have realized I don't want to lose you again." His eyes filled with tears.

"I care about you, Aaron. I always have. And it would be so easy for me to fall back into your arms. But, I need to take this slow. Truth is, you hurt me so bad the last time, and I don't want to go through that again. I want to be with, can we date for a while?" she smiled.

"We can take it as slow as you want. You are in charge." He smiled and kissed her gently on the lips. "Deal?"

"Deal." She smiled.

His phone buzzes. "Okay, call me when you get here. The team will be here in about an hour for the interview. "

"Damn, I should have had Nina bring me clothes." She said.

A nurse comes in to get her up, Aaron says, "I will be right back."

She was getting back in bed, Aaron walks back in and hands her one of his clean shirts. "I always did love the way you looked in my shirts." He smiles.

"I can make it work. Thank you." Claire said. "They are only going to see me from the waist up."

He helps her put on the light blue shirt. She roll up the sleeves and got into bed. "You look beautiful." He said.

He gets a text. "They're here. Do you want to meet them? Only Rossi and I will be in here, during the interview."

"That would be nice." She said nodding.

Aaron walks out and brings the team in. He introduces all of them to Claire. Reid very quickly spoke up, "I was so impress by your ability in that situation to give us clues. They helped us to find you."

Rossi smiled and said, "And that was a very impressive profile you wrote. You used all the key words, so we knew what we were dealing with."

"Thank you, I had a good teacher." She laughed.

"Well, we better start the interview" Hotch tells the team. Everyone leaves the room but Rossi. Hotch sets up the camera.

"Are you ready, Claire?" Rossi asks.

"I guess." She replies.

Rossi starts, "Claire, whenever you're ready, tell us what happened."

Claire took a deep breath and starts her story from Saturday morning, and continued through Thursday, when Hotch walked into the room. "Nicely done." Rossi smiled.

"Well, we are on our way home. Claire it was nice to get to meet you, hope to see you again soon."

"I'm going to be in Washington, soon. You should plan on attending the exhibition at the American Military Museum. I will make sure the team get invitations." She looks at Hotch, "You didn't tell me you were leaving today?"

"I'm not, the team is flying back this evening, and I thought I would hang around for a couple of days." He told her with a smile.

"No, you should go be with Jack, you have been away five days." She tells him.

"Well, this sounds like a private conversation. Hotch, we will be in the waiting room. Claire take care, see you soon." Rossi said.

"Thank you, Dave. See you in Washington." Claire said with a smile.

Hotch looked at her, "I don't want to leave you, not yet. One night, I will leave tomorrow afternoon. Jack is at a sleepover tonight, anyway. Please, let me stay."

"Okay, but you leave tomorrow." She tells him.

He leans down and kisses her. "Thank you. I need to go talk to the team, be back."

He walks into the waiting room, her parents are there visiting with the team. "Is she alright?" Marian asks.

"She's fine. You can go in." Hotch smiled at them. They walked down the hall.

"So, who won?" Rossi smiled.

"We compromised, I'm leaving tomorrow." He smiled.

The team leaves to go to the airport.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: A Beginning?**

Claire is sitting up in bed when her parents walk in; they come over and hug her. Her Mom said, "David told me you did really well in the interview."

"Oh, David told to you that." I said teasing her.

Hotch walks back in, "Did the team leave?" Claire asks.

"Yes." He answered.

"You are staying here for a while?" Tom asks.

"Only until tomorrow and then he is going home to his son." Claire answers for him.

"What she said." Aaron laughs.

The doctor comes in and talks to them. All of Claire's labs are normal; he will release her in the morning. The infection in her lung has cleared, but she will stay on antibiotics for few more days. Only instructions, take it easy for a few days. He will check on her in the morning.

Her Mom orders dinner for the four of them from one of her favorite restaurants and has it delivered. It was nice to for them to get to know Aaron, even in this situation. Claire started to yawn around 7:30. Mom and Dad head home for the night. They will return around 9:00 or so in the morning. Claire asks her Mom to bring clothes for her in the morning. And tells her that Nina is packing a bag for her and will drop it off tomorrow afternoon. Claire will be staying at her Mom for the next few days.

"You don't have to stay. I will be fine." She tells Aaron.

Aaron looks at her and shakes his head. "I'm not leaving."

The nurse came in, and helps her to the restroom. Once she got comfortable in bed, Aaron moves his chair over by the bedside. Held her hand and they talked. She had missed talking to him. She was getting tired. He stood up and kissed her. "Go to sleep." He told her.

"Get in bed with me? Please. I've missed sleeping with you." He smiles and removes his shoes, and climbs into bed next to her. She moves over to him and put her head on his chest. He wraps his arms around her. She remembers how safe she always felt beside of him.

"This isn't too uncomfortable, we have slept on worst." He laughs; she rises up her head and kisses him. Then they share a very deep, passionate kiss. "Get some sleep." He kisses her on the forehead.

She wakes around 6:30 or so, still wrapped in his arms. She remembers all the mornings, waking up, making love, kissing, how she had missed that. She kisses his chest. "Good morning." He said kissing her.

"Morning." She said.

"When are you coming to DC? And how long will you be staying in town?" he asks.

"You are full of questions, this morning. I don't remember you be so talkative in the mornings." She teased.

"We use to be busy doing other things in the mornings." He smiled. "So, are you going to answer my questions?"

"I will probably come into town on Thursday, I was just going stay until after the exhibition. But, I talked to Dad yesterday, and he is leaving June 1st, for three months and he offered me his brownstone. So, I thinking of spending the summer." She told him.

"That would be great, it would give us time together." He moves up and kisses her. "I think I better get up now."

She glance down his body and smiles, "Yes, I think probably should."

The doctor came in with her release papers, and then her Mom and Dad. Her Mom had brought her clothes, so she got dressed and they left for her Mom's home.

They visited and had a wonderful lunch. Then it was time for Aaron to leave. He said good bye to her parents, then they left the room to give them privacy.

They kissed. "I will see you on Thursday." Tears started to form in her eyes. "I will miss you."

He put his arm around her. "I will miss you. But, we will see each other soon. And remember I love you." He kissed her.

They kissed. "I thought we were taking this slow." She laughed. "Damn you, I love you, too. You have a train to catch. Tell Jack I said hello and I will see him soon."

They kissed one more time. He looked at her and said. "I will call you when I get home."

She smiled, "I heard that before from you." She teased.

"Hey, we are starting over. I will call you, promise." They shared a very passionate kiss. "I will call. Love you." He left to go catch his train.

He kept his promise. It was a new beginning.


End file.
